A Mayo Clinic study of 20,000 patients treated for cardiac arterial blockages from 1991 to 2008 revealed that patients who underwent procedures between 2003 and 2008 were less likely to die of heart conditions than cancer, lung disease and neurological conditions. In contrast, heart disease was the main cause of death for patients treated between 1991 and 1996. Researcher and SCAI fellow Dr. Rajiv Gulati said the findings are of particular note because the patients treated in the most recent period tended to be older and sicker.